Category Archives: Book Reviews

In which the reader shares his thoughts on the books that possess his imagination throughout the year.

Book Reviews, Fantasy, Short Stories

The Cambrist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics ~Daniel Abraham

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(Image Credit)

From that moment until the lunch hour and again from one o’clock until six, Olaf lived and breathed the exchange of foreign currencies. Under his practiced hands, dollars became pounds sterling; rubles became marks; pesos, kroner; yen, francs. Whatever exotic combination was called for, Olaf arranged with a smile, a kind word, and a question about the countries which minted the currencies he passed under the barred window. Over years, he had built nations in his mind; continents. Every country that existed, he could name, along with its particular flavor of money, its great sights and monuments, its national cuisine.

Daniel Abraham is an author who I have only sampled briefly and his short fantasy story, “The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics” is a reminder of why I need to read more. Olaf is a very unassuming character leading a quietly satisfying life, quiet that is until the day the despicable ruler Lord Iron decides that his amusement for the day will be the destruction of Olaf Neddelsohn. Olaf is given 24 hours to enact an impossible monetary exchange and in his desperation to hang on to his beloved career Olaf discovers the truth of value exchanged for value. In so doing Olaf sets a chain of events in motion that will not only affect his life but that of Lord Iron as well.

I first read this story last month when it was reprinted in the January issue of Lightspeed magazine. It struck me then as a story I would like to share with you. Following the jump is a spoiler-filled examination of the story. Before proceeding please take a few moments to go and read the story for yourself. It can be found here in its entirety:

“The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics”

Continue reading The Cambrist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics ~Daniel Abraham →

Book Reviews, Science Fiction, Short Stories

Asimov’s Science Fiction, March 2013

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Today’s Short Fiction Friday over at SF Signal is a review of the latest issue of Asimov’s Science Fiction. I have been reading Asimov’s off and on for the last few years and am excited that this weekly short fiction venture will help me keep up with it consistently this year.

This month’s issue was not one of my favorites but there was one stand out story and a couple of good ones by established authors. As always Robert Silverberg’s Reflections column and Sheila Williams’ editorial were worth reading.

You can click here to be taken to the full review over at SF Signal.

As a preview for next week, I will be reviewing the 7 short stories nominated for this year’s Nebula awards. Links to all seven stories can be found in this post if you are interested in reading along.

And don’t forget that Sunday I will be posting a discussion on Daniel Abraham’s entertaining fantasy short story, “The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics“. You can read the story by clicking on the title. I do hope you’ll join in the conversation.

Book Reviews, Science Fiction, Short Stories

The Back Channel ~John Scalzi

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It is week six in the episodic release schedule for The Human Division by John Scalzi. Each week thus far the stories have alternated between an A storyline and a B storyline, with the B stories revealing details that have already begun to become very important for the main characters. It has been interesting to watch this dance.

This week is a B storyline that puts the reader into heart of the Conclave, a political entity made up of 400 races, none of which are “human”. We are made witness to a town-hall meeting conversation that gives us some idea of the various positions the Conclave holds in regards to humanity and their continued existence.

This episode represents roughly the half-way point of the novel and through most of the chapter it feels as if Scalzi is giving us a bit of a breather, yet he manages to put a moment of tension within the episode that encapsulates the knife’s edge upon which humanity is now walking.

I will get into a more detailed discussion after the jump for those of you who are reading along. For those of you waiting for the release of the full novel before you return to the universe of Old Man’s War this is where we part company, at least for now.

Continue reading The Back Channel ~John Scalzi →

Book Reviews, Short Stories

Abyssus Abyssum Invocat ~Genevieve Valentine

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(Image created for this story by artist Galen Dara)

To call Genevieve Valentine’s “Abyssus Abyssum Invocat” a re-imagining or re-purposing of the Little Mermaid mythos would be to rob it of some of its tragic splendor, however, it must be mentioned as a bedrock upon which this story of obsession and longing is built. The appeal of sailor stories has always been this idea of the sea as siren, beckoning men to its seemingly endless waters. Valentine’s story takes the vastness of the sea and pares it down to something more intimate in its portrait of a mysterious but plain school teacher and the pull her presence exhibits on a young man named Matthew. “Abyssys Abyssum Invocat” is pleasing in its rhythms; in the way in which the words evoke the sounds of waves crashing on the rocks and the taste of sea salt on your tongue.

Like the story by Hans Christian Anderson there is a deeply melancholic aspect to Valentine’s story that draws upon deep emotion and reflects both the beauty and tragedy of life.

Genevieve Valentine’s short story “Abyssus Abyssum Invocat” was printed in the February 2013 issue of Lightspeed magazine and can be read online free. The following is a more in-depth discussion of the story that will contain spoilers.

Next Sunday’s story will be “The Cambist and Lord Iron: A Fairy Tale of Economics” by author Daniel Abraham. It is a really fun fantasy story with a very likeable protagonist, not the least of which because he is a voracious reader. I do hope you’ll take some time to read it this week so that you can join in the discussion.

In the meantime, lets talk about mermaids.

Continue reading Abyssus Abyssum Invocat ~Genevieve Valentine →

Book Reviews, Short Stories

Lightspeed, Issue 33

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It is Friday! Beyond thanking God for the end of the work week (and thanks to President’s Day the beginning of a three day weekend!) the fact that it is Friday also means that it is time for my Short Fiction Friday feature over at SF Signal.

This week I discuss the February 2013 issue of Lightspeed. I am two issues in to my subscription with Lightspeed and I have been blown away by the variety and quality of the science fiction and fantasy published. Each issue features four science fiction and four fantasy short stories (two original and two reprints in each category) as well as author interviews, an art gallery of the cover artist’s work and more.

Throughout the month Lightspeed puts up the stories from the current issue on their site for you to read for free. And there are some really worth while stories this month. I want to particularly point out the short story “Abyssus Abyssum Invocat” by Genevieve Valentine. If you read my review at SF Signal you will find the link to this short story. It is a beautifully tragic, haunting fantasy based in part on the story of “The Little Mermaid”. For those of you who regularly participate in the Once Upon a Time Challenge and like the work of Catherynne Valente, Angela Carter, Terri Windling and other authors who travel the roads of folklore, mythology and fairy tales I believe Valentine’s lyrical tale will pull you in.

I want to further encourage you to read it because I will be discussing it in greater depth (in the same fashion as my recent post for “Last Train to Jubilee Bay”) in a post this coming Sunday and would be interested in your reaction to the story.

As always I thank you for the support you give to me over at SF Signal and here. Please know that there is no pressure to do either. I realize that not everything I post has merit for you as a reader as we all have different tastes and no shortage of things to be reading and commenting on and working on, etc.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!